Always
by midnight glade
Summary: Sakura and Syaoran go iceskating on Christmas eve. While doing so Syaoran makes a promise to Sakura, one he knows he'll never break.


Hello, I usually never dabble in the section that is card captor Sakura but this is a special Christmas gift for my big sister who is obsessed with stories in this section and she is obsessed with this couple. I don't know whether I'll do a good job of it but I'm going to try my best. This is a one shot partly for that reason, the other reason is that I don't have a longer story planned. This is my first try at a fluffy one shot as well so…be kind. Oh and big sis, I just want to say Merry Christmas. I love you lots. But if you laugh at my attempt to write, I will not be very happy. You have been warned lol.

Enjoy!

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Always

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"Sakura aren't you forgetting something?" Syaoran asked smiling slightly when Sakura froze, just as she was about to start walking down the road.

"Eh?" she replied turning to him, a confused expression on her face.

"We are going ice skating. You'll need your skates." he said slowly watching as comprehension dawned on his green eyed friend and her face took on a sheepish smile.

"I'll just go get them." she dashed back into her house and left Syaoran standing outside in the softly falling snow, the small flakes settling in his hair. He scowled slightly shaking his head to clear the now melted droplets.

He and Sakura were going ice skating today. She had insisted that they walk instead of drive in a car because she wanted to be out in the snow instead of coped up in a vehicle. They had agreed that he would pick her up from her house and together they would walk to the outdoor ice rink. It had been set up especially for Christmas and the moment Sakura had heard about it she hadn't stopped talking about going. She had looked so happy when she described the feeling of ice skating and then she had stated how much wanted to go with him so that they could skate together on Christams eve. He was eternally grateful that he could actually ice skate, it would be embarrassing if he couldn't, though he was a little nervous as he hadn't been in a few years. At least the person he was going with after a long break was Sakura.

He was startled by the sound of quiet giggling and looked to the door of his friends house to see Sakura standing there, skates in hand, giggling at him even as she tried to hide what she was doing. Before he could ask her what was so funny, she said. "You have snow in your hair Syaoran-kun."

Scowling he shook his head to, once again, clear the tiny droplets of snow in his brown locks. However, he knew more flakes would replace the others and was startled when Sakura suddenly ran over to him stood still for a moment before smiling widely and adding to her previous statement "Now I have snow in my hair too."

She then walked a few steps before pausing, running back to her house and shutting the door, then saying happily "Lets go."

They set off, walking down the street side by side. Sakura was humming cheerfully to herself and Syaoran was staring at the ground watching and listening to the snow crunch under his boots as he walked. It was cold and he was glad that he had wrapped up warm. Sakura to had wrapped up warm though she wasn't wearing her gloves, instead she was catching the snow flakes as they fell from the sky. He watched contently, as she marvelled at the tiny pieces on soft ice as they lay in her palms. The white colour glistened in the sun and Syaoran could not help but think the small patterned flakes beautiful, even if they were cold and annoying. Then for the first time he wondered where Kero-chan was as he hadn't made a appearance and so he asked.

"Sakura, were is Kero?"

"Oh, Kero-chan was tired today. He didn't want to come and said something about letting us spend time together. Though he does want me to bring him back some sweets." She paused in her cheerful humming to answer his question, looking up from the snowflakes in her hands.

"Trust him to only think about sweets." Syaoran replied.

"I know. I bought him some yesterday but now their all gone. He really needs to slow down. He even ate Touya's pudding as well. That was difficult to explain." she agreed wincing slightly. Probably thinking about Touya's reaction.

"I can imagine." he commented dryly.

Sakura nodded absently before stopping suddenly in the middle of the pavement. The road split two ways and she looked confused.

"What is it?" he asked, worriedly looking round for any sign of danger.

"The road looks so different in the snow…" Sakura whispered distractedly.

"You don't know the way!" he yelled incredulously, waving his arms in the air to emphasize his point.

"I never said that. It just looks different. that's all." Sakura replied calmly, still smiling. She looked left ad right a couple of times, seemingly inspecting the roads before her face lit up and she turned right, walking of to wherever that road led to. It took Syaoran a couple of seconds to realise that she had started walking and he jogged to walk next to her.

"Do you know where we are going?" he asked her doubtfully.

"Of course I do Syaoran-kun." was the confident reply. Sakura turned her head to him and gave a reassuring smile which for some reason made him blush. She then looked at him with worry shining in her green eyes. "Syaoran-kun why is your face all red? Are you cold?"

"I-I'm fine." he replied looking down so that his bangs covered part of his face.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." he looked up and smiled at her ignoring the faint blush on his cheeks. She smiled back, the worry gone from her eyes.

"Good because we're here!" as she said that she grabbed his hand and ran forwards to where the ice rink was. Her hand felt warm even though his gloves and he was glad she wasn't looking because he blushed again.

"Lets go!"

---

The skates felt uncomfortable on his feet. They pinched and he could already feel his toes going numb. Sakura, however, seemed completely unaffected by this and was excitedly looking at the gleaming ice. It was still being prepared by the strange vehicle that flattened the ice but it looked almost finished. He turned again to look at Sakura and saw her putting her gloves on in preparation, a absent smile on her face as she put her fingers into the soft material. She had also retied her hair to make sure it didn't get in her eyes when she was skating around.

The place was packed and there was lots of young children with their parents as well as large groups of people and couples. Everyone was excited, milling about in agitation as they waited for the ice rink to be ready but he didn't think anyone was as excited as Sakura. Her eyes were lit up with a inner light. It was weird, happiness just seemed to shine out of her. She was the nicest person he had ever met and her ability to care for people still astounded him. And her smile. It was the light of the world and no matter how many times he had seen it, every time she smiled at him would be as special as the first time he saw it.

"Syaoran-kun, Syaoran-kun! The ice rink. Its ready!"

He felt a gloved hand tug at his arm and turned to see Sakura standing next to him. "We have to go. Come on."

He nodded mutely and allowed her to lead him onto the ice. The first few steps were a bit wobbly but he soon found his balance. Sakura, however, needed no such help and just glided on the ice a look of pure awe and joy on her face. She let go of his arm and skated of zooming in and out of other skaters, being incredibly careful not to knock someone over, twisting around and shouting back to him.

"Catch me if you can."

Her cheerful cry was accompanied with joy filled laughter and Syaoran smiled before he skated of, following the path she had taken. He tried to be as graceful as she had been but he knew he wasn't as good. At least he didn't knock anyone over. Looking around he tried to see were she had gone but he couldn't find her familiar face in the crowd. He slowed to a stop in the middle of the ice and looked around. He couldn't see her. Why was he so bad at this? How could she disappear so easily?

"Boo!"

The sudden sound startled him so much, that he lost his balance and fell over onto the cold hard ice. Rubbing his knee where he had hurt it he looked up to see Sakura looking down at him.

"I'm so sorry Syaoran-kun. Are you okay?" her face was aghast with worry and her eyes wide and guilty. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I only wanted to surprise you. Are you hurt Syaoran-kun?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry." he replied, trying to reassure her before reaching a hand up to her so she could help him up. She took his hand and pulled him onto his feet. "Arigatou…Sakura."

"Come on." satisfied that he wasn't hurt she led him across the ice. Still holding his hand. "Its so nice to be able to ice skate with you today."

"Yeah…I'm enjoying it to."

"Good." she smiled at him again as they skated together. "I'm glad."

"Excuse me miss. Would you and your friend like to pose for a photo? Its for next years advertising of the ice rink." a man with black hair and blue eyes who was held a professional camera asked politely as he skated past them.

"Of course." Sakura replied nodding as she stopped skating. "Syaoran-kun?"

"Hai, I'll do it." he replied nodding as he too stopped skating.

"Okay, now I want you…Syaoran is it? To put your arm round the young lady. Yes like that. Good. Now I want you both to skate towards me so I can take a picture of you two while your moving." the man instructed,

They did as he asked, Syaoran put his arm round Sakura and they both skated towards him. Sakura had a wide smile on her beautiful face and Syaoran couldn't help but grin with her. She always managed to brighten up the atmosphere wherever she was. Their feet moved in unison as they moved, the camera man had moved backwards quite a way to give them room so he could take his picture and with Sakura with him, Syaoran knew he would never stumble or fall. All the time that they skated Syaoran never once looked at the camera. Instead his eyes were fixed on the brunette beside him.

When they reached the man he smiled kindly at them and said "Look out for that picture next year young miss." before he turned and skated away.

"We might be in the posters or leaflets next year Syaoran-kun!" Sakura turned to him and said excitedly. "Wouldn't that be strange?"

"Yeah I suppose so." Syaoran replied to he question, still thinking about skating with Sakura.

"Maybe if they get enough money this year, next years ice rink will be even bigger than it is now. And we could go together again. Would you like that?" Sakura asked inquisitively.

"Yes, I'd like that a lot."

"Good." Sakura whispered. "because I would very much like to go skating with you next year Syaoran-kun."

"So would I." he replied gently and honestly.

"Syaoran-kun?"

"Yeah?" he answered questioningly.

"Do you think we could do this every year? Like a little tradition? Just for you and me? Something special?" she asked hopefully. Green eyes nervous but bright.

"Sakura…its already something special. But yes. It is now our tradition. Every year, on the twenty fourth of December, we will go ice skating. And every year, we will walk down the same road at the same time. Never will we go in a car. Our tradition. Starting now." he replied, not nothing where the sudden promise had come from but, all the same, knowing he'd never break it.

"Wow. Thanks Syaoran-kun." he was glad that the sparkle now in her eyes was because of him and that he had placed the smile now lingering on her face. "I'll never forget."

"Your welcome Sakura." and in his mind he said something that he knew he didn't have the courage to say out loud. Anyway, today wouldn't even be the right time to speak those words. Maybe next year…

_I love you._

She smiled again before spinning on her skates and giggling happily. She looked at him shyly before saying "Catch me if you can." and skating of.

For a moment Syaoran looked happily after her she was someone important. He would take care of her. He would protect her. Though he knew that she was probably more powerful than him, more able to take care of herself, he would still protect her. Not because he thought she was weak but because she is so strong. He would protect her for the sole reason that she was worth it. She was worth protecting. She was something precious. And just like knights would protect their kings, despite their obvious capability to look after themselves, so would he protect her.

His princess.

She was not weak. She was the strongest person he knew but that didn't mean he would just stand by and let her get hurt even if she could save herself. No. She was his best friend and he loved her so much.

And that's why he thought as he skated after her.

He would always be there.

To catch her if she fell. No matter how much he doubted she ever would. He would be there…

Year after year.

For always.

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So thats it. Oh and sis, if you read this before Christmas ... bad things will happen to you. I hoped you liked it. Please read and review. I don't know whether I should ever actually write a proper ccs story. So maybe you people can tell me if it was good?


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